End face polishing machine and method of polishing rod-shaped member

Abstract

An end face polishing machine has a jig plate for supporting at least one workpiece. A polishing plate is mounted to undergo rotation and revolving movement. A polishing sheet is disposed over the polishing plate for rotation and revolving movement therewith. An elastic member having a hardness that varies with temperature is disposed between the polishing sheet and the polishing plate. A pressing unit presses the end face of the workpiece against a surface of the polishing sheet during rotation and revolving movement of the polishing plate to thereby polish the end face of the workpiece during a polishing operation. A temperature control unit controls the temperature of the elastic member during the polishing operation to thereby polish the end face of the workpiece into a spherical surface during the polishing operation.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An end fact polishing machine comprising: 
       a jig for supporting at least one rod-shaped member having an end face;  
       a polishing plate mounted to undergo rotation and revolving movement;  
       a polishing sheet disposed over the polishing plate for rotation and revolving movement therewith;  
       a pressing unit for pressing the end face of the rod-shaped member against a surface of the polishing sheet during rotation and revolving movement of the polishing plate to thereby polish the end face of the rod-shaped member during a polishing operation;  
       an elastic member disposed between the polishing sheet and the polishing plate, the elastic member having a hardness that varies with temperature; and  
       a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the elastic member during the polishing operation to thereby polish the end face of the rod-shaped member into a spherical surface.  
     
     
       2. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 1 ; wherein the temperature control unit comprises a heating unit. 
     
     
       3. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 1 ; wherein the temperature control unit comprises a cooling unit. 
     
     
       4. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 1 ; wherein the temperature control unit comprises a heating unit for heating the elastic member to vary the hardness of the elastic member so that the end face of the rod-shaped member is polished into a spherical surface during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       5. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 1 ; wherein the temperature control unit comprises a cooling unit for cooling the elastic member to vary the hardness of the elastic member so that the end face of the rod-shaped member is polished into a spherical surface during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       6. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 1 ; wherein the temperature control unit comprises a cooling unit and a heating unit for selectively cooling and heating, respectively, the elastic member to vary the hardness or the elastic member so that the end face of the rod-shaped member is polished into a spherical surface during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       7. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 1 ; further comprising a pressing force control unit for controlling an amount of pressure applied by the pressing unit to press the end face of the rod-shaped member against the polishing sheet during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       8. An sad face polishing machine according to  claim 7 ; further comprising a pressing force information input unit for inputting a preselected pressing force value to the pressing force control unit for pressing the end face of the rod-shaped member against the polishing sheet during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       9. A method of polishing a rod-shaped member comprising the steps of: 
       providing a polishing structure configured to be driven to undergo rotation and revolving movement, the polishing structure having a polishing plate, a polishing sheet disposed over the polishing plate, and an elastic member having a hardness which varies with temperature and being disposed between the polishing plate and the polishing sheet;  
       pressing an end face of a rod-shaped member against a surface of the polishing sheet while driving the polishing structure to undergo rotation and revolving movement to thereby polish the end face of the rod-shaped member during a polishing operation; and  
       controlling the temperature of the elastic member during the polishing operation to thereby polish the end face of the rod-shaped member into a spherical surface.  
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 9 ; wherein the temperature controlling step comprises the step of controlling a heating temperature of the elastic member to vary the hardness of the elastic member so that the end face of the rod-shaped member is polished into a spherical surface during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 9 ; wherein the temperature controlling step comprises the step of controlling a cooling temperature of the elastic member to vary the hardness of the elastic member so that the end face of the rod-shaped member is polished into a spherical surface during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       12. An end race polishing machine comprising: 
       a jig board for supporting at least one workpiece having an end face;  
       a polishing structure mounted to undergo rotation and revolving movement, the polishing structure having a polishing member, a polishing sheet disposed over the polishing member, and an elastic member having a hardness that varies with temperature and being disposed between the polishing member and the polishing sheet;  
       a pressing unit for pressing the end face of the workpiece against a surface of the polishing sheet during rotation and revolving movement of the polishing structure to thereby polish the end face of the workpiece during a polishing operation; and  
       temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the elastic member during the polishing operation to thereby polish the end face of the workpiece into a convex surface during the polishing operation.  
     
     
       13. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 12 ; wherein the temperature control means comprises a heating unit for heating the elastic member to vary the hardness of the elastic member so that the end face of the workpiece is polished into a convex surface during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       14. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 12 ; wherein the temperature control unit comprises a cooling unit for cooling the elastic member to vary the hardness of the elastic member so that the end face of the workpiece is polished into a convex surface during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       15. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 12 ; wherein the temperature control unit comprises a cooling unit and a heating unit for selectively cooling and heating, respectively, the elastic member to vary the hardness of the elastic member so that the end face of the workpiece is polished into a convex surface during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       16. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 12 ; further comprising a pressing force control unit for controlling an amount of pressure applied by the pressing unit to press the end face of the workpiece against the polishing sheet during the polishing operation. 
     
     
       17. An end face polishing machine according to  claim 16 ; further comprising a pressing force information input unit for inputting a preselected pressing force value to the pressing force control unit for pressing the end face of the workpiece against the polishing sheet during the polishing operation.